How old is Rafael Marquez? The Mexican national is a legend in his own right, setting off several milestones in his country and abroad. He played for Mexico and Barcelona, attaining impressive feats throughout his professional career. How old is he in 2024? Here is everything there is to learn about his life details and career milestones.

Rafael Marquez's accomplishments have made him one of the best football players of all time. He was the first Mexican to debut in La Liga. The athlete started playing as a young boy, and his father, a former footballer, fueled his passion. How old is Rafael Marquez?

Rafael Márquez's profile summary

Full name	Rafael Márquez Álvarez
Age	44 years old (As of January 2024)
Date of birth	February 13, 1979
Zodiac sign	Aquarius
Nickname	El Kaiser, Rafa, Emperor Michoacan
Place of birth	Zamora, Michoacan, Mexico
Nationality	Mexican
Ethnicity	Latin
Religion	Roman Catholic
Parents	Rafael Marquez Esqueda and Rosa Maria Alvarez
Cousin	Louis Marques
Marital status	Married
Partner	Jaydy Michel
Children	Santiago, Rafaela, Leonardo
Height	6 feet
Weight	75kgs
Hair colour	Black
Eye colour	Dark brown
Education	Colegio Fransisco
Profession	Professional football player
Position	Defender
Jersey number	4
Net worth	$25 million
Social media	Instagram, X (Twitter)

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How old is Rafael Marquez?

Rafael Marquez (aged 44 years old as of January 2024) was born on February 13, 1979. He is a Mexican citizen whose legacy set him as one of the best in the sport.

Education

Marquez attended local primary and secondary schools before joining Colegio Francisco. Unfortunately, the program he pursued and his graduation year are under wraps.

Rafael Marquez's family

Marquez's parents are Rafael Marquez Esqueda and Rosa Maria Alvarez. His father was a famous football player who represented clubs like Tigres, Atletico Zamora, and Irapuato Sports Club. Rafael played in his father's club as a young boy, which fuelled his passion for the sport and, ultimately, his career choice.

Who is Rafael Marquez's wife?

Rafael Marquez wife — Rafael Marquez celebrates after a goal against Santos during the 2016 tournament at Jalisco stadium on 05 March 2016. Photo: Hector-Guerrero (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Is Rafael Marquez married? The 44-year-old is married to Jaydy Michel, a Mexican model and actress. She is the ex-wife of musician Alejandro Sanz. Rafael and Jaydy tied the knot in 2011 and have one son, Leonardo, born in June 2016. Previously, the athlete was married to Adriana Lavin, a Mexican actress.

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The former lovebirds were together from 2001 to 2007 but divorced due to reasons that are not public. Rafael has two children from his first marriage, Santiago Rafael (born in 2003) and Rafaela (born in 2005).

Career

Rafael Marquez's number is 4. The Mexican player spent his junior and senior career with the Atlas Youth team. In 1999, he transferred to Monaco, where he stayed until 2003 when he moved to Barcelona, becoming the first Mexican to play for the club. In 2010, the defender joined the MLS New York Red Bulls, staying until 2013. Marquez returned to Mexico in the same year and played for local clubs like Leon and Hellas Verona.

He went back to Atlas de Guadalajara from 2016 to 2018. The father of three represented his national team, which he captained between 1999 and 2001. Under his leadership, the team won the 2001 Copa America and the 2002 World Cup. In 2018, Marquez became the first player to captain his team in five consecutive editions of the FIFA World Cup.

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Rafael Marquez's awards

Rafael Marquez awards — Rafael Marquez during the friendly match between FC Barcelona and Pumas at the Spotify Camp Nou on August 7, 2022, in Barcelona Spain Photo: David S. Bustamante (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

The football legend was the first Mexican to plan and win a Champions League. He won the most accolades with Barcelona, where he spent seven years. Rafael Marquez's achievements include:

4 La Liga titles ( 2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2008/2009, 2009/2010)

2 UEFA Champions League (2005/2006, 2008/2009)

3 Spanish Supercopa titles (2005, 2006, 2009)

UEFA Super Cup (2009)

He was named the best Ligue 1 defender in 2001

1 Copa del Rey (2008/2009)

CONCACAF Best Player (2005)

Gold Cup Winner (2011, 2013)

Rafael Marquez's net worth

Marquez thrived as a defender locally and internationally, attaining numerous titles individually and in his teams. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the Mexican is worth approximately $25 million. His salary has grown significantly since his professional debut.

According to online reports, his signing with Monaco was worth approximately $6 million. Rafael earned an estimated $8 million in Barcelona annually, while his contract with the New York Red Bulls was worth roughly $4.6 million.

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When did Rafael Marquez retire?

Rafael Marquez height — Rafael Marquez of The New York Red Bulls attends the FIFA Soccer 13 launch tournament at SPiN New York on September 24, 2012, in New York City. Photo: Neilson Barnard (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

After a thriving 22-year career, Marquez played his last international game as a professional on April 20, 2018. He transitioned to coaching, working with teams like RAD Alcala in 2020 and Barcelona Atlectic (2021/2022).

Where is Rafael Marquez now?

After retirement, Marquez pursued other sports-related interests, taking up managerial and media roles. He served as Atlas' new sporting president until May 2019. In October 2021, Rafael worked as a sports analyst and commentator for TUDN Network's national team games.

Controversies surrounding Rafael Marquez

In 2017, Marquez was among several individuals accused of alleged drug trafficking by the U.S. Treasury. As a result, his assets and bank accounts were frozen, significantly affecting his net worth. However, he denied the allegations and disassociated with Raul Flores Hernandez, the organization in question.

Final word

Rafael Marquez's clubs and national team career earned him global prominence as a legendary player. He is Mexico’s third most-capped player with 147 appearances and is also the best defender to appear for the Mexican national team. His fans will be eager to see what becomes of his coaching teams as he enjoys his sunset career years.

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Sports Brief published an article featuring Sofia Toache, who gained popularity following her relationship with Edson Alvarez. Edson is a Mexican professional footballer playing as a defensive midfielder for West Ham United and the Mexican national team. What do you need to know about his partner?

Toache is a model and Instagram influencer born in October 1998. The details of how she met her partner are undisclosed, but they have been together since 2018. She has a white ethnicity. Check out the above article for all the details about Sofia.

Authors

Grace Waruguru

Grace has over 4 years of experience in article writing and digital media content creation for various local and global brands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication (Public Relations) from Daystar University, Kenya.